In One Chart, Here's The Compelling Argument From Gun Control Groups On The Assault Weapons Ban

For many in Congress, a big goal in the push to curb gun violence
is a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban that expired in
1994. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
has introduced a similar bill, which President Barack Obama
will likely mention this afternoon during remarks on gun violence
in Minneapolis, Minn.

Feinstein's proposal is already being met with harsh
criticism from gun-rights groups, including the NRA.

A primary criticism of the proposed assault weapons ban is the
idea that the vast majority of gun deaths in the U.S. aren't
performed with the aid of assault weapons. Critics of the ban hold that it will not
have a notable effect on gun violence while taking away what they
perceive as a right to own semiautomatic weapons.

When assault weapons or high capacity magazines are used in a
mass shooting — 23 percent of the time since 2009 — more people
are shot and more people are killed.

Mass shooters who use an assault weapon or a high capacity
magazine shoot more than twice as many people than those who use
handguns, according to the MAIG data. The data also shows them to
be 54 percent more lethal.

This chart shows the average number of casualties at a mass
shooting event since 2009. When a shooter doesn't use an assault
weapon or high capacity magazine, he or she shoots 7 and kills
5.4 people on average. When a shooter is using a high capacity
magazine or an assault weapon, he or she shoots 15.6 and kills
8.3 people on average.